


Perihelion

by a_sparrows_fall



Category: Avengers (Comics), Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Psychic Wolves, Unofficial Sequel, spoilers for the original work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-15
Updated: 2015-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-02 08:41:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10213772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_sparrows_fall/pseuds/a_sparrows_fall
Summary: After the events ofLike a Comet Streaming On, the Avengers—including their newest member—return home.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sineala](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sineala/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Like a Comet Streaming On](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3344072) by [Sineala](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sineala/pseuds/Sineala). 



> I confessed to Sineala that one of the very first things I wrote for this fandom almost exactly two years ago, which I had no intention of ever publishing at the time, was a ficlet sequel to her psychic wolf fic, which is a favorite of mine-- _Like a Comet_ is basically the fic equivalent of comfort food for me. I think I've read it more than any other fic, ever.
> 
> She said I should share it if I wanted, which was super nice. And I thought I might as well post some abandoned WIPs as-is.
> 
> Un-beta'ed, largely unedited from two years ago (somewhat to my chagrin--ah, well) and posted just for fun. Backdated to reflect when it was originally written.
> 
> I hope you like it okay, Sine! I'll do a proper remix for you one of these days, but in the meantime, here's a little piece of my personal fandom history instead. ;)

It just feels so _good_.

Which is stupid, really. Of _course_ it feels good. To have a wolf again, to be back in the pack sense.

But that isn’t exactly what Tony means, as he considers it. More than that, it feels _right_.

Tony had avoided even being around wolves in the year since Kepler was killed, because the guilt would destroy him, wouldn’t it? Even if by some chance he did find another wolf to bond with, how could they ever replace Kepler?

But now Jet is sitting nestled between his legs on the quinjet floor, pushing his head up slightly into Tony’s hand as Tony scritches into the fur between his ears, and there’s just this all-consuming feeling of _home_ and _safe_ and _okay now_ whipping back and forth between them at the speed of the wolf’s namesake, and Tony doesn’t feel guilty at all.

Because Jet _isn’t_ Kepler, and could never replace him any more than Reed Richards could ‘replace’ Tony if he joined the Avengers tomorrow, just because they both were both scientists and inventors (which will totally never happen, not if Tony has anything to say about it.)

It’d be disingenuous to think of it any other way. Jet’s a completely different being, one he can’t wait to get to know, and if the warmth pouring over him is any indication, the feeling is mutual.

Tony was just too blinded, too crippled by grief to see that before. God, he’s lucky Cap and Libby got him out of his own head.

Moreover, he can’t help but think that Kepler would be happy that he wasn’t wolfless anymore. That he wasn’t a walking open wound, a frayed nerve being being worn thinner with every stimulus. Kepler would want him to be happy and taken care of.

 _He would, Tony,_ thinks Steve. _Of course he would._

And does _that_ send shivers up Tony’s spine. Clear articulated human words in his head.

Not from just any human. Steve. _Steve_ is in his _head_.

The pack sense is a familiar feeling in a general way: scent names, feelings, knowing the mood on a military base before anyone said a word.

But being part of a unit, permanently—he hopes it’s permanent, anyway—that’s new. Apparently it means a direct, ongoing line of communication with Steve and Libby. He’s a little terrified of it and loving it at the same time. He hopes he can handle it.

Tony glances over his shoulder where Steve and Libby are sitting in the next row of seats, smirking, and catches Steve’s attention.

 _So,_ Tony tries to reach out through their connection, pushing the words gently across the space between them, _how does this work? Pack speech. Are you just in my head all the time? ...I’m surprisingly okay with that idea._

Steve’s grin widens. _You can choose what you push out, what you broadcast, to some extent. It’s not a constant invasion of privacy._

Tony twists a little further in his seat to get a better look at Steve. He raises his eyebrows. _Was I ‘broadcasting'? Before, when you answered me? About Kepler?_

Steve huffs a little laugh, both outloud and in Tony’s head, and he thinks he can hear the wolves chuckling, too—the equivalent of chuckle, anyway. But it’s a fond, warm sound-feeling, so Tony doesn’t take it personally.

_I think you’re broadcasting to everyone on the plane, Tony, pack sense or not._

And Tony glances around, and yeah, Jan and Hank are looking at him, a little amused as well.

Because Tony’s been grinning like an idiot—this has to be the most they’ve ever seen him smile, _ever_ —and he and Steve have been giggling at basically nothing for the entire flight thus far.

Thor looks pleased, too, but in his normal God-of-Thunder-resting-face way, like he’s not in on the joke — hell, maybe there are wolf warriors in Asgard and this doesn’t seem odd at all. But he’s noticed as well, and nods in Tony’s direction.

Yeaaah, Tony is _definitely_ broadcasting.

Jan breaks the silence, seeing that Tony’s slightly aware of his surroundings again.

“You gonna let us in on your wolf… thing, _Iron Man_ ,” she says pointedly, “Or are we going to have more secrets?"

“One: no secrets, I’m just happy to have a wolf connection—a wolf at all again, and two: we agreed secret identities were safer, _Ms Van Dyne_ ,” Tony snarks good naturedly.

“Again?” Hank asks, “You had a wolf before?"

Tony swallows, hesitates for a moment.

“We don’t have to go into that—” starts Cap, sensing Tony’s momentary pause, his preparation for panic. Jan turns to Hank, to begin to tell him what she knows, so maybe they can avoid the conversation altogether.

“He died,” Tony cuts them both off.

And it does hurt to say, but it’s less like a barb ripping through a tender part of him and more like a muscle he hasn’t used in too long. “When I was captured. In Afghanistan. I got myself and Ho Yinsen—he works in R&D now—I got us both out. But Kepler, my brother, didn’t make it."

The group's reaction to this confession is slower than Cap’s was when Tony told him. Everyone here has not only never had a wolf, but is basically a civilian outside Avengers duty. So they might not know what it's like.

Jet pushes his head up under Tony’s hands again; Tony had stopped petting him and the gesture is a gentle combination of _please pet again_ and _I’m here now, we are fine_.

“I’m sorry, Tony,” says Hank. “I had no idea.” Tony has never known Hank to be exactly emotional, but he sounds like he means it.

“I never told anyone, like you asked, Tony.” Jan looks at him and does a good job of keeping the sadness out of her smile.

“Thank you,” he tells her sincerely. 

But Hank and Jan’s reactions are almost overwhelmed by what Tony feels positively radiating from Steve and Libby: _pride_ , pure unadulterated pride and love, and he kind of wishes he still had the helmet on, because his eyes might be a little wet. _Well,_ _fuck_ , he thinks (hopefully privately), _we're all learning and growing today._

It’s just silence in the quinjet for a moment, until Jet chimes in across the pack sense, loud and clear.

_Food when we get home, yes? Lots of food?!_

Tony and Steve burst out laughing and Tony doesn’t even care what it looks like to everyone else. 


End file.
